Past President David Bednar stated: "...several fundamental principles that should be at the heart of all we are and do at BYU-Idaho. Our planning and decisions and programs and activities should be focused upon and give emphasis to these basic principles."

1. True teaching is done by and with the Spirit of the Holy Ghost"All truth, spiritual as well as secular, is manifested through the spirit of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a revelator, a teacher, a comforter, and a sanctifier. To create an environment where the Holy Ghost can teach, everything done at BYU-Idaho must be in harmony with the principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ."

2. Every person at BYU-Idaho is a teacher"Everyone at BYU-Idaho - faculty, staff, students, ecclesiastical leaders, and so forth has a responsibility to impact others for good. Each interaction with a student or colleague is a potential teaching and learning opportunity."

3. The most effective teaching and learning experiences occur "one by one"BYU-Idaho is uniquely positioned as an institution of higher education to show and lead the way in applying the principle of "one by one." This university is legendary for the individualized and nurturing attention given to students by the faculty and staff...."

4. More students must be blessed"All worthy youth of the Church deserve a BYU-Idaho experience, yet an increasingly smaller percentage of them will ever have that opportunity.... It will be necessary for us at BYU-Idaho to serve ever better the thousands of students we have on campus while simultaneously reaching out to bless the lives of tens of thousands of young Latter-day Saints throughout the world. We must learn how to assist and bless institute students and other LDS youth in Rhode Island and Rome while effectively serving our students on campus in Rexburg."

5. Righteous sociality is essential to individual development"Participation in all types of wholesome activities - spiritual, academic, social, and cultural - promotes the positive interactions that bring about a righteous sociality capable of enduring throughout eternity."

6. Service provides opportunities for growth"Only those individuals who lose themselves in meaningful service to others can ever discover who they really are. True service both blesses the one being served and provides unparalleled opportunities for personal growth and development to the one doing the serving."

7. A BYU-Idaho experience must be affordable for students and families"The efforts to provide unique teaching and learning experiences at BYU-Idaho are of no avail if only an elite group, academically and economically, can ever come here. The cost of a BYU-Idaho experience must be kept within reasonable and affordable limits."